Ficus odorata (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Ficus odorata (Blanco) Merr.

Family: Moraceae

Vernacular names

• Philippines: isis (Panay Bisaya), agosos (Tagalog), aplas (Ifugao).

Distribution

The Philippines; occasionally also cultivated elsewhere.

Uses

Bast fibres are made into rope. Barkcloth is made from the bast. The leaves are used to clean kitchen utensils and for scouring and polishing wood. The wood serves for light or temporary construction.

Observations

A dioecious tree, up to 20 m tall; trunk 10-20 cm in diameter. Leaf blade oblong, 15-25 cm × 6-10 cm, base strongly inequilateral, obliquely cordate, apex abruptly acute, hispidly pubescent. Fruit an axillary syconium, solitary or rarely paired, compressed-globose, 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter, with small basal bracts, tomentose, pale yellow when ripe, red-tinged where exposed to the sun. F. odorata occurs naturally in lowland rainforest. The bast fibres are non-ribbon-like, matted, dull, whitish, strong and durable. They are obtained by retting the stems in standing water for 3 weeks or more, after which they are beaten into sheets suitable for coarse clothing and other products. They are also twisted into rope. On drying the fibres become stiff and hard.

Selected sources

19, 28, 46, 115.

Authors

M. Brink, P.C.M. Jansen & C.H. Bosch